A few months ago, the science blogosphere was ablaze with an ad campaign from the a science museum in Vancouver. This campaign combines unusual ads with a quirky scientific message. A sign saying “a blue whale’s heart is the size of this car” is fixed, well, atop of a car. Another car drove around with a “woofasaurus” on the back seat; a fluid-filled tank encouraged kids to walk on water; a tiger’s litterbox littered the street; and a moving squid eye followed museum visitors. All ads promise Vancouver inhabitants that they will find answers at the museum.

As we mentioned earlier (here and here), many adults visit museums after they are persuaded by their children. This phenomenon, called “the nag effect”, is widely recognized and taken advantage of in the world of advertising. One example of the nag effect in action is described in the article “how do children convince their parents to buy unhealthy food.” The Vancouver Science World and Rethink Communications used the nag effect in their advertising strategy. Their ad campaign, in place since 2004, combined print ads, billboards, bus stop ads, TV and radio spots, and a collection of “unconventional” ad media. Convincing a parent to visit a museum sounds like a better idea than pushing them to buy unhealthy food, but still: we are talking about using the power of advertising and consumerism in favor of a museum.

When is it honorable to use advertising as subterfuge for the cause of science and education?

Now also blogging at PLOS

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Dr. Cristina Russo

Scientist with a Ph.D. in molecular biophysics. Works as a science writer and content manager for Owen Software. Former ballerina and current Zoo interpreter. Lives in Washington, DC with husband and canine best friend Ford. Views are her own and do not represent those of her employers.

Dogs on Ice

The image above and on the header of this blog are part of the early 20th century Antarctic Expeditions. Here a dog is photographed by Herbert Ponting aboard the Terra Nova (1911), and on the header, a sled team was photographed by Frank Hurley from the Endurance (1915).